Uses of Mentholatum

By Kelly Willoughby

Menthol and Mentholatum have been used for many years as home remedies for many different things. The strong odor is unmistakable and can be distinguished from any other product on the market. It has been useful as a plant in the yard and been blended with other products to become indispensable to the average family with children. It has fuzzy leaves and grows about one foot tall. Camphor is an ingredient in mentholatum and is an evergreen tree that grows in Taiwan, Japan, and China. The camphor is extracted from the wounds of the tree, according to Earth Notes.

Menthol has been used in many home remedies for years.

Muscle Rub

Mentholatum is formulated for and used in muscle rubs.

Mentholatum is formulated for and used in muscle rubs that penetrate the skin and relieve muscle pains. It is used for aches and strains, according to WebMD. It is used to treat arthritis pain and deeper aches of the joints. It works because it starts out cool to the skin and then begins to warm the muscles down deeper. Also, according to WebMD, it is to be used externally only, on the skin.

Cough Remedy

According to End Times Report, rubbing a child's chest and feet with mentholatum ointment and covering the feet with socks will give relief to the nighttime cough from severe colds or flu. It is also stated by End Times Report that the house should be kept cold while the child kept warm.

Clearing Sinuses

According to Earth Notes, the plant can be used as an inhalation treatment. For this treatment, take a few drops of the extracted oil from the plant, put it in hot water, and breathe it in deeply. The oil extracted from the plant is supposed to repel bugs, ants, and rodents, Earth Notes says.

Chapped Lips

Another home remedy to use mentholatum for is severe chapped lips. According to Best In Cosmetics, one of the best nighttime cures is mentholatum. Lather your lips right before bed; by morning, the chapped and cracked dry skin will be gone.

Aromatherapy

According to Earth Notes, camphor is an ingredient blended into mentholatum rub. It is used in aromatherapies. The scent of camphor is said to help alleviate depression, and has sedative properties.This blend is used for a heart tonic and used to treat infectious diseases, according to Earth Notes.

Veterinary

When mentholatum is used in veterinary practices it is a helpful treatment of fleas, ticks, swollen glands, colds, and flu in dogs, according to Earth Notes.